Setting Specifications and Acceptance Criteria - Live Online Training

11/12 November 2025

Course No. 22026

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Speakers

Dr. Cornelia Nopitsch-Mai

Dr. Cornelia Nopitsch-Mai

formerly Quality Assessor

Dr Thomas Uhlich

Dr Thomas Uhlich

Bayer

Dr. Josef Hofer

Dr. Josef Hofer

exdra

Dr Ulli Backofen

Dr Ulli Backofen

Boehringer Ingelheim

Dr. Thomas Fürst

Dr. Thomas Fürst

Boehringer Ingelheim

Dr. Bettina Pahlen

Dr. Bettina Pahlen

Quality x Pharma Consulting

All times mentioned are CET.

Objectives

This Live Online Training covers all aspects of specifications for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs = Drug Substances), biological substances and pharmaceutical drug products from an analytical and a registration perspective.
 
In the workshops the participants will elaborate specifications
  • for drug substance and drug product based on different case studies
  • specifications of biotechnological drug substances/drug products – general part
  • specifications of biotechnological drug substances/drug products – related to the impurity profiles
These example specifications will be useful “take home messages” which will help the participants to define or to evaluate specifications in their daily work.

Background

In the development of new pharmaceutical products it is a great challenge to establish meaningful and reasonable specifications, which are scientifically sound and appropriate for APIs (chemical and biological drug substances), excipients and drug products. According to ICH Guideline Q6A, a specification is defined as a list of tests, references to analytical procedures, and appropriate acceptance criteria, which are numerical limits, ranges, or other criteria for the tests described. Learn about latest news and important aspects of excipients, such as functionality testing (EP and USP) as well as what GMP-level is requested for excipients. Concentrate on the essentials for packaging material including important information to be included in the CTD.

The analytical result, which will be compared to the specification, is affected by the variability of the measurement itself and depends also on the sampling process and on the variability of the manufacturing process of the tested product itself. This makes statistical considerations essential and consideration of the associated measurement uncertainties vital when setting or complying with specifications.

Analytical methods that were not “stability-indicating” are frequently cited in FDA 483s and Warning Letters. This conference will thus address how to set impurity limits for related substances and degradation products based on method capability and stability results. Furthermore, genotoxic impurities and strategies for their control will be presented and QbD (Quality by Design) will also be discussed.

Finally, specifications for the API (drug substance), excipient(s) and the drug product are part of the quality section of the marketing authorisation application which has to be submitted to the competent authority.

Target Group

This Live Online Training is of particular interest to specialists from QA, QC and Regulatory Affairs departments of the API and pharmaceutical industry and CROs as well as to members of the EU inspectorates and authorities. Participants have the opportunity to exchange their experiences they gained with the different aspects of ‘specifications’ with the experts from the API and pharmaceutical industry as well as with members of competent authorities.

Date & Technical Requirements

Date of the Live Online Training
Tuesday, 11 November 2025, 09.00 – 18.00 h CET
Wednesday, 12 November 2025, 08.30 – 13.00 h CET

Technical Requirements
We use Webex for our live online training courses and webinars. At www.gmp-compliance.org/training/online-training-technicalinformation you will find all the information you need to participate in our events and you can check if your system meets the necessary requirements to participate. If the installation of browser extensions is not possible due to your rights in the IT system, please contact your IT department. Webex is a standard nowadays and the necessary installation is fast and easy.

Programme

Setting Specifications and Acceptance Criteria - Live Online Training

Seminar Programme as PDF

Part I – Regulatory Requirements and Setting Specifcations during the Development Phase

Basic Principles for Setting of Release and Shelf-Life Specifications
  • Some basic statistics: Distribution and Variation
  • Variation and specifications
  • Changes over time and shelf-life specification
  • Process Capability
  • Control strategy
  • QbD or not to be
Current Regulatory Requirements for Setting Specifications (ICH Q6A)
  • Regulatory overview
  • Impact of pharmacopoeial provisions
  • Setting specifications for active substances and finished products
  • Justification of specifications
  • Changes/variations
  • Introduction to the requirements of risk assessment with focus on setting specifications for heavy metals
  • How authorities will proceed in respect of submitting the required documentation for approved marketed products
Specifications of Biopharmaceuticals
  • Overview of regulatory requirements
  • Critical Quality attributes and Control Strategy
  • Differences between NCEs and NBEs
  • Considerations for Drug Substance and Drug Product
  • Specifications during early and late stage development
  • Acceptance criteria at release and for shelf-life
Organic Impurities and Degradation Products with Special Emphasis on Genotoxic Impurities
  • What do the guidelines tell us
  • Impurity identification and profiling
  • Impurity tracking
  • Toxicological qualification
  • Genotoxic impurities
  • Control of genotoxic impurities
Part II – Chemical APIs and Biopharmaceutical Drug Development

Parallel Session A (Lectures and Workshops)

CHEMICAL APIs
Group I: APIs Manufactured by Chemical Synthesis

Lecture and Workshop
Rational Development and Justification of API Specfications

In this workshop participants will elaborate specifications comprising typical tests for APIs:
  • Assay, organic impurities and degradation products, water, residual solvents, heavy metals, particle size distribution, polymorphs, genotoxic impurities etc.
BIOLOGICALS
Group II: Drug Substances/Drug Products Manufactured by Biotechnological Processes – Part 1

Lecture and Workshop
Setting Specifications in early Biopharmaceutical Drug Development (with a special focus on Monoclonal Antibodies)
  • General overview of manufacturing processes for biopharmaceuticals and process Control
  • Analytical testing scope for biopharmaceuticals
  • How to set specifications: principles to consider and justification
  • Group Work
Part III – Specific Considerations during Development and for Specific Dosage Forms

Setting Specifications throughout Drug Development
  • Specifications throughout development
  • Specifications in Pharmacopoeias
  • Stability of the manufacturing process
  • Specifications for comparator products
Specifications for Specific Drug Products – What is the Difference to Standard Formulations
  • Specific aspects required for special drug products, e.g.
  • Gastro-intestinal therapeutic systems (GITS) or osmotic-controlled release oral delivery systems (OROS)
  • Transdermal Patches
  • Orally inhaled and nasal drug products (OINDPs)
Part IV – Drug Products and Biological Impurities

Parallel Session B (Lectures and Workshops)

DRUG PRODUCTS
Group I: Drug Products Containing APIs (manufactured by chemical synthesis)

Lecture and Workshop
Rational Development and Justification of Drug Products Specifications

In this workshop participants will elaborate specifications comprising typical tests for different types of drug products, e.g. assay, purity, content uniformity, dissolution, fill volume, endotoxines, sterility etc.

BIOLOGICALS
Group II: Drug Substances/Drug Products Manufactured by Biotechnological Processes – Part 2

Lecture and Workshop
Impurities in Biological Drug Substances and Drug Products (with a special focus on Monoclonal Antibodies)
  • Impurities from chemical synthesis versus biotechnological process
  • Definition of impurities and their classification: product-related impurities, process-related impurities, contaminants and identification of possible degradation products
  • How to deal with impurities in biological drug substances and drug products
  • Analytical techniques and other aspects
Part V – Common Technical Document (CTD)

Setting Specifications in the CTD
  • Total Control Strategy and Regulatory Background
  • Drug Substances, Excipients and Drug Products
  • Packaging materials
  • Which information should be included in the CTD
  • Typical questions from authorities and answers

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This course is part of the GMP Certification Programme "ECA Certified Quality Control Manager" Learn more

ECA-Member*: € 1690,-
Non ECA Member*: € 1890,-
EU/GMP Inspectorates*: € 945,-
APIC Member Discount*: € 1790,-

(All prices excl. VAT). Important notes on sales tax.

* also payable by credit card
American Express Visa Mastercard

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Further dates on-site
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Do you have any questions?

Please contact us:
Tel.: +49 6221 8444-0
E-Mail: info@gmp-compliance.org

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